


The Women who Love Mulder

by Spooky66



Series: Prompts [77]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Post-Episode: s07e02 The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 01:52:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15378105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spooky66/pseuds/Spooky66
Summary: Scully drags Mulder to Diana's funeral.





	The Women who Love Mulder

**Author's Note:**

> 15\. a gentle “i love you” whispered after a soft kiss, followed immediately by a stronger kiss

It’s the day of Diana Fowley’s funeral and I wish I felt worse than I do. I’m not happy that she is dead but I’m not very sad either. My pain is for Mulder. He’s already lost so many and I worry that one more will tip him over the edge. What if this is it? I know they were close. Very close. I’ve suspected that they’d gotten back together. And in my darker moments, I imagined pulling the trigger on her myself.

She’s the woman who came in and messed things up. But when I really think about it I know that if it was that easy to draw Mulder away things were already messed up.

We’d slept together twice before her arrival and not once since. All I’ve gotten since she made her appearance is an almost kiss and a meaningful, but not specific declaration.

He’s never made any promises.

Neither did I.

It didn’t make it hurt less when Mulder accused me of taking it personal. Or when she answered his phone while I was in Africa. All of that hurt.

Before this whole mess with the psychiatric ward, I was preparing my resignation.

Diana made a better partner for him anyway.

The strange thing is that he hasn’t shed a tear since I told him of her death. In fact, it was a struggle to convince him to go to her funeral.

I’m driving because I still don’t trust him behind the wheel. He’s sulking because he claims he’s missing a Twilight Zone marathon for this.

“Jesus Mulder, they have Twilight Zone marathons practically every weekend. What the hell is wrong with you? A woman is dead, someone you cared about.”

He crosses his arms and looks out the window, “She betrayed me.”

“She was confused. She did the right thing in the end.”

“And I’m supposed to forgive everything leading up to that?”

“No. But you should at least mourn. She was a big part of your life.”

He makes a strangled sound somewhere between a laugh and a cry, “Yeah ten years ago she was.”

I frown, “And recently. You’re doing her a disservice to just move on so quickly.”

He turns to me, irritated.

“Since when are you her big defender?”

“Since she helped me save you. Since she is dead.”

He shakes his head, “She’s dead because she got involved with the wrong crowd.”

“Dammit Mulder!” I’m suddenly angry and I’m not sure why “How can you be so cool about this? Last week you were fucking her and now you’re saying she deserved to die! You can’t just turn off feelings like that!”

Mulder gapes at me, “Fucking her? When?”

I shut my mouth. I don’t want to hear about their relationship. It already hurts too much.

“Nothing… just… I wish you would show just a little respect that’s all.”

“You think we were together? Recently? Scully,” he puts his hand on my arm and I shake him off.

“Scully, I haven’t been with Diana or had romantic feelings for Diana in nearly a decade. You should know that.”

I shake my head hating that he’s lying to spare me. The feeling of humiliation runs deep and I stay silent, hoping we will move on.

“Stop the car.” He says.

“Mulder- no.”

“Stop the car.”

“We’re already running late.”

“Stop the fucking car, Scully!”

And I do. I pull over as soon as I can, put the car into park and stare out the windshield.

“Look at me.”

I don’t.

“Fine. Listen, I had no feelings for Diana beyond that of an affectionate ex and a friend. I still cared for her. I didn’t love her, not anymore.”

I still don’t look at him. And I stay silent, worried that if I talk I’ll say something stupid or start to cry.

“Do you know why?”

I feel the backs of his fingers stroking my cheek.

“Scully look at me.” He says softly and I finally comply.

His face is soft.

I open my mouth to say something, anything, I hadn’t yet decided. But before I can think of anything he kisses me softly.

It’s so tender that I want to cry. It’s not like any of our previous kisses, which had been rushed and passionate. This one is kissing for the sake of it, rather than in hopes of something more.

This isn’t life or death. It’s just the two of us alone and together.

I take in a breath as he pulls away. His hands cup my face and he rests his forehead on mine.

“I love you.” He murmurs and I feel the small puff of air against my lips. I want to kiss him again.

My lips form the words ‘I love you too’ but he’s kissing me before they can escape.

This kiss is urgent. It’s like he is trying to convince me of his words. He wants to imprint them on my lips for the world to see. His teeth bite at me while his tongue plays against my mouth.

Finally, we pull up for air.

“Why would you doubt that?” He asks after a few moments of deep breaths.

“Things changed after she arrived. You never- we never-“ I can’t find the right words but he understands my meaning.

“You never came back for me either. I thought the first two times were flukes that you wanted to forget. And then things got suddenly awkward and tense. When you didn’t mention what happened before Antarctica… I figured you had moved on.”

I shake my head.

“I love you too.”

“Good.”

He kisses me again but I pull away.

“We are still going to this funeral Mulder. We will pay respects to a person who was important to your life. She helped to start the x files after all. And in the end, she did love you. And I can relate to that.”

“The difference is that you’d never betray me in the first place.” He says his good mood disappearing.

“Never.”

I put the car into drive and take his hand.

And finally, for the first time, I do mourn Diana. A woman who loved Mulder.


End file.
